Disputed Handball Decision Mars Celtic's Europa League Defeat to Braga
Kelechi Iheanacho was at the core of a very controversial handball ruling as the Portuguese side claimed a two-nil victory over the Scottish giants. The African striker appeared to have drawn the game in the fifty-first minute, only for the effort to be ruled out by game authorities.
Effort Canceled Amid Handball Debate
Iheanacho had seized a loose pass from a set-piece to challenge a defensive clearance from ex- Celtic player Gustaf Lagerbielke before slotting the ball home. Video footage clearly showed the ball making contact with the attacker's facial area, with zero obvious sign of arm involvement. In spite of this, the VAR supported the initial ruling after an prolonged examination.
Match official Tobias Stieler gave the first decision, with VAR referee Christian Dingert supporting the disputed judgment.
Celtic's Frustrating Match
During a end-to-end final half, Celtic advanced for an leveler, with efforts from Kieran Tierney and Sebastian Tounekti being saved by fine keeping. The hosts finally ended up with just a single point earned from their opening two games after Gabri MartÃnez finished from nearby with 5 minutes remaining.
- Shot-stopper Kasper Schmeichel experienced a difficult evening, giving away possession numerous times.
- Ricardo Horta's from far effort in the 20th minute curved surprisingly, beating Schmeichel unprepared.
- Players Liam Scales and Kieran Tierney produced crucial interceptions to keep Braga at bay.
Exciting Spot-kick Sequence in French side vs Roma Clash
In another Europa League encounter, the French outfit earned a 1-0 win over the Italian side thanks to a first-half strike from Hákon Arnar Haraldsson. The visitors capitalized on an early-match error to seize the lead after just six minutes.
The match reached a thrilling ending when Roma were awarded a last-minute penalty after a handball by Aïssa Mandi. Remarkably, Lille goalkeeper Berke Özer denied 3 successive penalty attempts in the closing minutes.
- Artem Dovbyk's first spot-kick was saved, but the official required a second attempt due to the goalkeeper moving early.
- Dovbyk's second effort was also denied by Özer, who repeatedly moved early.
- A final penalty was attempted by MatÃas Soulé, but Özer pulled off another excellent denial to secure the victory.
Controversial rulings and thrilling penalty saves characterized an eventful evening in the Europa League.
